Alberta is home to some of the greatest museums and landscapes in the world.

There's never been a better time to explore Canada's aboriginal heritage, thanks to an expanding array of attractions and tours ranging from the rugged to the luxurious.

One of simplest ways to experience the First Nation culture is to attend a powwow where there is plenty of traditional singing and dancing. Such events take place across Canada through November. Check out www.drumhop.com to find one near your home or vacation destination.

The Aboriginal Tourism Association of British Columbia has developed a number of interesting tours (www.aboriginalbc.com). The Haida Heritage Centre (www.haidaheritagecentre.com) is now the gateway for exploring the Gwaii Haanas National Park (Queen Charlotte Islands).

Overnight canoe trips take you past scenes painted by Emily Carr and out to watch whale frolicking in the ocean. Further inland at the Snaza'ist Discovery Centre you can tour the Mascot gold mine, perched on a cliff overlooking the Similkameen Valley, home to the Indian Band of the same name (www.mascotmine.com).

Both cultural centres offer interactive exhibits along with traditional dancing, drumming and carving, among others. Blackfoot Crossing hosts the World Chicken Dance Championships June 19 and 20, where participants memorize intricate dance steps to mimic the mating rituals of the prairie chicken.

The site of the tragic Northwest Rebellion lead by Louis Riel is now home to the Back to Batoche Festival, July 18 to 25. This eight-day festival showcases the famous Metis fiddle music and jigs -- a unique blend of their Celtic, French and First Nations heritage (www.mn-s.ca).

A more urban experience waits in Winnipeg at the Manito Ahbee Festival, Nov. 3 to 7. This week-long event showcases modern Aboriginal music and arts with the International Competition Powwow and Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards (www.manitoahbee.com).

Ontario's magnificent Manitoulin Island is home to The Great Spirit Circle Trail, where you can participate in fishing, biking, canoeing and hiking eco-tours. Popular retreats include the Grandmother Moon Women's Wellness Weekend (the first is June 25 to 27; there are others in July, August and September); and each summer the De-ba-jeh-mu-jig Theatre Group offers aboriginal main stage productions (www.circletrail.com).

Children will enjoy The Aboriginal Experience on Victoria Island just behind Ottawa's Parliament Buildings. A visit to the village includes lessons on wigwams, powwow dancing followed by indigenous cuisine (www.aboriginalexperiences.com). Wendake's First Nation Hotel-Musee, just outside of Quebec City, has been turning heads with its style. Overlooking the Akiawenrahk River, this luxury hotel offers a First Nations gourmet menu and on-site museum (www.hotelpremieresnations.com).

Take a wilderness canoe trip through Quebec's remote Abitibi-Temiscamingue region with the Pikogan Algonquins, where you follow the Harricana River learning survival techniques as you go (www.abitibiwinni.com). Explore Labrador's Torngat Mountains with the Inuit-owned Cruise North Expeditions (www.cruisenorthexpeditions.com) or take a cruise that traces the Northwest trading route. Both tours visit Inuit archaeological sites and offer cultural workshops such as soapstone carving and throat singing.

Finish off your exploration at the Canadian North Great Northern Arts Festival held in Inuvik, July 9 to 18. The 10-day event showcases circumpolar artists and musicians (www.gnaf.org).

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